Since there hasn’t been much new on television since quarantine started, I’ve been watching a lot of films. In the beginning, I could only watch lighter fare and romantic comedies. Eventually, I began to watch old favorites many of which include French films. One that’s been pretty impossible to find anywhere is Les Choses de la Vie starring Romy Schneider and Michel Piccoli from 1970. I first saw the Claude Sautet movie in 2012 during a Film at Lincoln Center film fest which also included another of his movies, César et Rosalie from 1972, starring Romy Schneider and Yves Montand. Now you can watch both of these film along with L’important c’est d’aimer also starring Romy Schneider by filmmaker Andrzej Żuławski online via Film Forum. You can rent them separately as they are released each week or you can rent all three for $20 and watch them immediately as many time as you wish for seven days.

I’ve never seen the third film but I love watching the other two Romy Schneider films for fashion inspiration. These photos are from Les Choses de la Vie (The Things of Life) where she wears dresses from Courrèges. Since it was filmed in 1969, there is still a little 1960s feel to her short shift dresses. Her hemlines get longer in César et Rosalie and look more like the 1970s inspired archival designs that Celine has been sending down the runway for the last few seasons.

Since it’s supposed to be cold and possibly snowing in parts of the country, staying in and watching some chic French films sounds like a very good plan.